I steeped this tea five minutes with one tea bag in about one cup of 190 degree water. Although I do normally use loose leaf tea, the convenience of pre-bagged tea is tempting too! Especially when it’s high-quality tea.
After steeping, it’s become a yellowish color and smells a bit pineapple-ish with an undertone of sage. The sage isn’t too overpowering, at least judging by the fragrance.
First sip: Yes, the pineapple may actually be stronger than the sage here. It’s also quite sweet. It has a bit of a stevia flavor, almost. The pineapple flavor blends with the flavor of the sage leaves and, according to the ingredients list, orange leaves as well to create a pleasantly fruity drink. It’s much more palatable than drinking an infusion of straight sage, which is important if you’re going to be drinking this on a regular basis. Yet the woodsy, flowery flavor of the sage does come through as well.
This is listed as an herbal tea for hot flashes, although I wouldn’t know anything about how effective it would be for such a complaint. It’s probably good for colds/sore throats as well; it’s comforting, soothing, and relaxing. Or if you’re looking for a more culinary use it would probably go well with cookies for a snack, although I’m not a tea pairing expert either.
It’s definitely sweet and seems well-balanced in flavor, and whether you end up drinking it on a daily basis or just as an occasional novelty, I hope you’ll be glad you tried it too!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Republic of Tea
Description
As women, we have the power to create and nurture life, all while juggling hormonal changes and external stresses. For centuries, women have relied upon the same powerful herbs found in our organic SuperHerb Teas to keep them balanced, and now they can easily be part of your daily life as well.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Rose Chateau by The Love Tea Co
I steeped this tea at 200 degrees in about a cup of water for about four minutes.
This is another selection from the Love Tea Company, who donates a quarter of their proceeds to mental health causes. Their teas also come in cute little reusable canisters!
The dried leaf has rose petals and other flower petals too, it looks like. According to the ingredients list these could be hibiscus, calendula, or sunflower petals, which are all included in the blend! In addition, there’s green tea in here and some curled oolong bits and some pieces of dried fruit (which turn out to be rosehips based on the ingredients list). It smells mainly fruity, with some rose/floral scent.
The steeped liquid looks almost pinkish-peach and smells like strawberry with floral notes and some savory green tea flavor.
I steeped for four minutes because it didn’t seem very strong at three (and I prefer getting stronger flavor out of my tea when I can).
First sip: it tastes a little astringent and strawberryish; the rose flavor isn’t overpowering here (maybe I just didn’t get any rose petals in my scoop of leaf?). It’s delicate and reminds me the most of a strawberry-flavored green tea, which is quite nice and desserty. There’s a bit of seaweedy vegetalness in the back of the throat. A few particles of tea escaped the strainer so I’d recommend a fine mesh if you don’t like that sort of thing (although mostly they’re just sitting on the bottom of the cup not causing a problem).
Overall it’s light, floral/fruity, but with a hint of buttery aftertaste (from the oolong), so I’d say it’s great for afternoon or evening relaxation (unless you’re super-sensitive to caffeine; green tea generally has just a little).
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green/Black
Where to Buy: The Love Tea Company
Description
This blend was created by a Canadian Master to evoke the character and spirit of France’s best rose vintages. It’s combination of some of the most luxurious green and black teas available today. Like wine, it goes perfectly with cured meats and fine cheeses. Milk and sugar are NOT recommended with this one.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea by New Mexico Tea Company
I steeped 1 tsp of this tea for 5 minutes in one cup of 212 degree water.
First of all, this tea isn’t kidding when it says “hot.” (Currently I’m able to smell the cinnamon flavor through the bag even though I double-bagged it, which means it has about the same strength as lapsang souchong). You can clearly see, when measuring it out, that there’s tons of cinnamon in the tea leaves. The ingredients list says it has natural and artificial flavorings too in addition to the three types of cinnamon–I didn’t know three types of cinnamon existed, did you? But apparently they do.
I don’t expect the black tea flavor to come through much at all at this point (it’s probably mainly there for caffeination purposes.)
It smells very spicy and strong as it steeps, too. After steeping I note that it has a very dark brown, fittingly cinnamon-ish color. It’s nearly opaque and has bits of dissolved cinnamon in it. Kind of like spiced cider. It also has a faintly sweet cider-ish smell, but of coursewithout the apple factor. (It does have clove and orange peel though, so that’s probably why it’s reminding me of cider.)
First sip: yes, it’s quite sweet and quite spicy. And no, I don’t really taste the black tea at all. There is a slight bit of astringency, but I’m not sure if it’s from the black tea or from the cinnamon. There’s a depth to the cinnamon flavor, which is probably caused by the blending of several types of cinnamon and cinnamon flavorings to create a more complex cinnamon blend rather than one that hits you all in a wave. It’s very effective, too. It’s like a tour of cinnamon.
With milk (no sugar needed as it’s already sweet): it’s creamier, of course, but the milk doesn’t really bring out the tea flavor the way it usually does with spicy teas (though maybe there’s a hint). The excellently warming, invigorating cinnamon flavor isn’t quelled by the milk either, though perhaps a bit tamed.
Overall I like this tea very much both with milk and without. I’d recommend trying it both ways to see which strikes your fancy the most.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: New Mexico Tea Company
Description
.This blend brews very sweet even though no sugar is added. A cinnamon lover’s dream come true. A combination of hearty Chinese and Indian black tea and invigorating cinnamon.
Many cinnamon teas have a watery aftertaste due to the use of low grade teas. The black tea here has the stamina to last through the whole tasting process
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Peach Blossom from Fusion Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong, Black, Green Blend
Where to Buy: Fusion Teas
Tea Description:
A Taiwanese Oolong masterpiece. This oolong is blended with organic green and black teas, and flower blossoms to produce a blend that is appealing to the eye and palate. Makes delicious iced tea.
Ingredients: Oolong, organic black tea, organic jasmine green tea, osmanthus petals, natural flavor, peaches, and jasmine petals.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When discovering Peach Blossom from Fusion Teas I find the bag proclaims this tea as an oolong, it is in fact a blend of several types of tea. I do taste the oolong, and it is nice, rather on the mellow side though but I feel that is exactly what this tea is wanting to portray.
Its a lovely exploration into the orchard or garden. A quite time with your favorite book, or a serene landscape where little creatures feel safe to play. That is the emotion this tea evokes.
The peach flavor in this tea is not over done, although personally I can never get enough peach, but it is nice, subdued, and well mannered. I do get just a touch of the flavoring as being somewhat artificial like, but not so much so that it turns me off.
The mouthfeel is slightly full, a tad but creamy, and heavy enough that I feel one could ice this nicely.
I like the touch of jasmine green and jasmine petals in this tea and again, it is not over done and does not take on too much of a floral aspect yet is easy enough to detect.
Normally I am not a big fan of so many teas being blended together. I often find that the blend would have been far better if only one tea base had been chosen. This tea however seems to do exactly what it has aimed to do. It creates a soft balance between a fruity tea, a floral tea, and a tea that whispers in your ear gently, yet is strong enough to stand it’s ground. Just like the Heroine in one of my favorite books. This may just have to be in my tea rotation to drink while reading outdoors this spring!
Dark Chocolate Orange from Sands of Thyme
Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: Sands of Thyme
Product Description:
Ingredients: black tea Assam, cocoa bits, orange bits, natural flavor, cardamom, pink pepper
Tasters Review:
I’m always up to try Orange Chocolate ANYTHING!! I’m originally from the Buffalo, NY, area and Orange Chocolate is HUGE in Buffalo! When I moved from that area several years ago many people I spoke to regarding my love of orange chocolate had never even heard of it before! I was AMAZED at this fact! I still am today! So…if you have never tried orange chocolate before PLEASE do – at least once in your life!
Anyhow…When I received an assortment of teas from Sands of Thyme I HAD to try this one first!
This smells much like Orange Chocolate right out of the package. Once infused add spices to that aroma and that is what you have here! It’s medium brown in color – post infusion.
This tastes like Orange Chocolate and cardamom. It’s a really good taste. It’s not heavy on the dark chocolate aspect but that won’t interrupt me from enjoying this tasty cup of tea! Ahhhhh!
